Stay Connected

A study of 78 patients suffering from osteoarthritis discovered that treating these patients with White Willow Bark gave a significant improvement and pain relief as compared to those who never received this treatment. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis characterized by severe pain as a result of joint cartilage breakdown, causing bones to rub against each other and stiffness. In addition, this ingredient reduces joint deformity, which accompanies swelling, joint pain and redness, a condition called rheumatoid arthritis. Treatments in this category are particularly essential to older people, obese and those with weak thigh muscles.

Headache

Studies indicate that this product can prevent the contraction of muscles in the head and neck. This condition is known as tension headache and can cause moderate pain in the head, neck, and behind the eyes particularly after working with a computer for long hours or during cold temperatures. In addition, compared with other ingredients such as cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors and placebo, this ingredient proves superior to the above health benefits and in relieving lower back pain.

Weight Loss

The ingredients that White Willow Bark contains like salicin are said to increase the effects and activity of some of the ingredients used in dietary supplements. A good example is thermogenics Thermogenics are the main ingredients present in weight loss supplements, and they act by boosting the rate of metabolism and fat burning process. The result is weight loss and fitness maintenance. However, these ingredients alone have no effect on weight loss. They should be supplemented with regular physical activity and low-calorie diets.

Individuals aged 18 years and above should boil two teaspoons of dried herb in 8 ounces of water and take it three times per day. If the dosage is in capsules, liquid, and powder form, taking about 60 to 240 milligrams of standardized salicin each day is fair. Follow your doctor’s prescription always.

Children especially those with chickenpox, influenza, varicella, or any identifiable viral infection should avoid this ingredient altogether.

How safe is White Willow Bark?

If taken in the right dosage, this herb does not cause any serious side-effects such as irritation and gastrointestinal problems experienced in some anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g. aspirin. The reason this product proves to be so safe is because its salicin content converts to salicylic acid only after absorbed into the bloodstreams, unlike many anti-inflammatory agents. In addition, the daily White Willow Bark dosage is so small as compared to that of aspirin.

However, overdosing can cause conditions such as vomiting, tinnitus, kidney inflammation, stomach inflammation, and skin rash. In addition, persons who are hypersensitive to aspirin should avoid White Willow Bark at all costs. This category includes patients with diabetes, liver or kidney conditions, impaired clotting, gout, asthma, peptic ulcer disease, and vitamin K antagonistic treatment.

If you are also pregnant, it is advisable to wait until you are through with child care (giving birth and breastfeeding) to think of using Willow-containing products.

Beta-Alanine (3-aminopropanoic acid) is one of the most popular supplements due to its effectiveness in bodybuilding. This ingredient is one of the non-essential amino acids, meaning that it occurs naturally in the human body. It is synthesized in the liver through the breakdown of nucleotides (RNA or DNA). However, if your body is short of Beta-Alanine, you can obtain the same from food sources such as beef, fish, poultry, and pork. Studies indicate that supplementation with Beta-Alanine increases Carnosine in skeletal muscle, a dipeptide useful in eliciting physical performance improvement during high-intensity exercises. This supplement provides tremendous results to weight-lifters, high-performing athletes, and bodybuilders.

How do Beta-Alanine works?

The primary function of Beta-Alanine is the production of Carnosine. Carnosine contents decrease with age, it is lower in vegetarians, and women usually have lower contents of this dipeptide than man of the same age. The reason for this difference is because the enzyme that breaks down Carnosine is less active in men than in women.

During high intense exercise and hence anaerobic respiration, there is the accumulation of hydrogen ions and decrease in the pH levels. Lactic acid is the end product. The result is muscle fatigue, evidenced by a burning sensation in your muscles and feelings of body weakness. Many fitness supplements like Dark OPS are combating this fatigue by including Beta-Alanine in their formulated supplements. If the amount of Beta-Alanine is sufficient, it will increase Carnosine contents, which in turn will absorb the produced hydrogen ions. It will also stabilize the muscular pH, giving you enough energy to continue with the exercise. The more the Carnosine, the less you will suffer from the effects of lactic acid during your workout.

Formation of supporting tissues

Studies also indicate that this supplement can stimulate your body to produce nucleic acids and collagen. This function helps maintain the skin smoothness (ant-aging), and body structure and integrity, thus preventing conditions such as chronic back pain, soft tissues, and osteoarthritis. This action also increases the effectiveness of histamine, a compound responsible for the dilatation of the blood vessels to speed up the wound healing process.

Acts as an antioxidant

Beta-Alanine has been found to cleanse the internal system by getting rid of free radicals from the body. High levels of these radical can result in severe health conditions such as uncontrollable multiplication of cells, which may eventually lead to cancer.

In short, your will gain the following benefits from this supplementation.

1. Improvement in muscle mass

2. Power output and muscular strength increase

3. Increase in aerobic operation

4. Increase in cardiovascular energy

Dosage

The best dosage should be between 3.2 to 6.4 grams per day. However, the right dosage for most people is 4.5 grams per day but it will depend on your health condition and age. Ensure you follow your prescription attentively and do not take 10g or more at once. Taking more than required may make you experience paresthesia (pins and needles), which is an abnormal sensation characterized by burning, tickling or tingling in your body. This sensation occurs due to a vigorous binding of the amino acid with your nerve receptors. Large dosage also will not give you the intended incredible results as smaller dosage.

Is Beta-Alanine safe?

As long as you follow the prescription, this supplement works as expected. There are no serious side-effects reports from the users since introduced.

Taurine, also called 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid is a conditional amino acid and constitutes about 0.1 percent of the human body weight. Unlike essential amino acids, which the body must obtain from diet, Taurine occurs naturally and is abundant in the retina, platelets, the brain, and the heart. The human body manufactures this amino acid from compounds such as vitamin B 6, cysteine, and methionine. However, infants who are not breastfed, vegetarians, and diabetics may be short of Taurine at some point in their lives. The best 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid food sources include poultry, fish, eggs, and meat. Being a vegetarian means you will not consume the above Taurine sources, and non-breastfed infant means he/she has to rely on cow’s milk, which does not provide enough Taurine.

What are the health benefits of Taurine

Bile Acid Conjugation And Cholesterol Excretion
Studies indicate that sufficient amounts of Taurine in the human body facilitate bile acid conjugation, a vital process for cholesterol catabolism. Although cholesterol is insoluble in aqueous solutions, it is very soluble in bile due to the presence of bile acid. This action facilitates easier excretion of excess cholesterol from the body. Cholesterol in excessive amounts can build up in the artery wall, increasing the risks of heart attack, hardening and narrowing of arteries, and stroke. It can also increase chances of a blood clot and chest pain (angina) during stress or physical activity.

Reduces Stress
Taking this supplement facilitates the production of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in adequate amounts, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. This neurotransmitter promotes feelings of tranquility and reduces excitement that may lead to feelings of irritability, insomnia, and restless. Taurine helps the brain to relax and calm down, lowers stress, and is very beneficial for individuals experiencing sleeping problems. Symptoms of this supplement deficiency in this category include low sex drive, anxiety seizures, heart palpitation, and headaches.

It raises Testosterone in men
Research proves that Taurine is very effective in raising testosterone levels, with no effect on the levels of estradiol (a female hormone for estrogen deficiency). This function in turn increases muscle mass, sex drive and reduces symptoms of erectile dysfunction, irritability, depression, and inability to concentrate. On the other hand, low testosterone due to 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid deficiency has been linked to poor metabolism and health and development of diabetes. In the case of diabetes, your body will have more glucose that it requires or will be unable to utilize the available insulin properly. Taking 1.5 grams of Taurine daily for about two weeks will restore your body and reverse all these conditions.

Other functions
Taurine also boosts the metabolism, the process that controls how your body makes use of the food you eat. High metabolism is essential as it facilitates the shrinking and burning of excess fat cells, thus preventing overweight or even obesity. In addition, taking this supplement minimizes symptoms of tinnitus, an ear infection characterized by roaring, ringing, or buzzing in the ears or head. It also normalizes the flow of calcium ions in the body, prevents retinal cells from damage, helps muscles recover quickly after training and lowers inflammation in the hypothalamus to regulate insulin levels.

Drinking energy drinks is the easiest way to ensure your body has sufficient Taurine amino acid all the time.